What to Know About Garbage Truck Accidents in Texas

If you were injured in a garbage truck accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Reach out to our firm to discuss the details of your claim. Our skilled Houston auto accident lawyer.

What are the different types of garbage trucks?

Not only are garbage trucks large and heavy, but they are also made up of various moving parts and usually carry hazardous materials. There are several different types of garbage trucks that vary in size, weight capacity, equipment, and function. Even at low speeds, a garbage truck could fatally injure a person. There are four major types of garbage trucks that are used to accumulate trash across the United States, including:

  • Front-loader trucks: This kind of truck has a hydraulically held forklift on the front of the vehicle that lifts and dumps the contents of the dumpster into the hopper. It is then condensed into the rear of the truck.
  • Rear-loader trucks: This type of truck has a big space at the rear of the truck. The garbage collector can stand on the back of the truck to easily jump off to collect and empty the contents of receptacles into the truck.
  • Side-loader trucks: This kind of truck can be packed either manually or with the use of an automatic robotic arm. The robotic arm picks up trash from the side of the vehicle and empties the contents into the truck.
  • Roll-off garbage trucks: This type of truck carries a roll-off container, which can be dropped off, loaded, and then picked up to empty the contents at a dump or recycling center. Roll-off garbage trucks are mainly used for large-scale commercial waste removals including construction and demolition sites.

How do garbage truck accidents occur?

There are a number of different ways that garbage truck accidents can occur. The drivers using heavy machinery are typically within close proximity to other vehicles and pedestrians. As a result of the truck’s large size, it may have many blind spots that could block the driver’s view. This could result in crashing with another vehicle, cyclist, or pedestrian. This can be particularly dangerous when operating the truck on narrow and densely populated streets.

While speed is not normally a concern, garbage trucks can still cause horrible and even fatal injuries. Common causes of garbage truck accidents may include the following:

  • Driving while fatigued
  • Falling objects from the truck
  • Failure to check blind spots
  • Driving while speeding
  • Dumping waste that hits another vehicle or person
  • Distracted driving
  • Driving in the wrong lane
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Failure to follow traffic rules or signals
  • Failure to yield the right-of-way
  • Inadequate vehicle maintenance
  • Hazardous waste spill
  • Rear-end collision
  • Lack of training

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